Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2012 Toyota Sequoia, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Toyota Sequoia year.
No EPA fuel-economy match for this model. Naming may differ, or it predates EPA records.
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Campaign 13V014000
Issue: Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Campaign 13V123000
Issue: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2008-2022 Sequoia and 2007-2021 Tundra vehicles. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
Risk: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB10 and 21TA10.
Campaign 21V920000
Issue: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160, 44250-0C131, 44250-0C170, and 11250-0C121. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
Risk: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 17, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TH01.
Campaign 21E103000
1 open NHTSA investigation into this model. Investigations come before recalls, so these are potential defects not yet covered by one.
Rated configuration: 2012 Toyota Sequoia SUV 4WD
The parts named most often across 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
I am filing a formal complaint regarding a known paint defect on my 2012 Toyota Sequoia, painted in Blizzard Pearl (paint code 070). The paint is peeling and delaminating from multiple areas of the vehicle, including the roof, hood, and rear panels, down to the primer and in some cases bare metal. This is not a cosmetic or age-related issue — it is the result of a manufacturing defect that Toyota has already acknowledged in multiple models and years through Customer Support Program ZKG. This issue affects vehicles painted in Blizzard Pearl and Super White, due to poor adhesion between the basecoat and primer. It is a systemic defect that poses a long-term corrosion and safety concern, particularly as bare metal becomes exposed and vulnerable to rust. Toyota refuses to take responsibility, citing expiration of the CSP in December 2022. However, this defect is not time-sensitive—it emerges gradually and unpredictably over the life of the vehicle. It is unfair to place the burden of repair on consumers when the issue is clearly the result of poor materials and workmanship. I have contacted Toyota and provided photographic evidence. They acknowledged the vehicle is affected by the exact problem covered by the CSP, but declined to offer assistance because the program has technically ended. This is unacceptable, as the issue is part of a known national defect, not an isolated case. There are thousands of documented complaints for this exact same issue on forums, social media, and Toyota owner sites. I am requesting that Toyota: •Acknowledge this as an ongoing manufacturing defect regardless of warranty expiration, •Provide goodwill repair coverage or reimbursement for repainting, •Prevent further corrosion that could compromise vehicle safety and resale value. I am submitting this complaint so the issue can be formally documented and investigated, with the hope that Toyota will be held accountable and other owners will not be left to absorb the
Toyota had a recall on fuel pumps in 2020 mine was not part of the recall even though mine went bad and had to be replaced in February 2020. Now with another fuel pump recall issued in January 2025 I am also told mine is not part if the recall however I am having issues related to the fuel pump once again causing my engine to stall. Can someone please look into this as I feel my car should be part of that recall for another failing fuel pump. I do have receipt of repair in 2020 by First Class HALT I can provide if needed. My engine is stalling, not cycling fuel properly and has left me stranded. Then other times fires up normally.
The rear door latch for the lift gate malfunctioned and wouldn’t release. The power motor for the lift gate continued to work, trying to lift the rear gate. The result was bending the left gate hinge and hinge mounting area. The gate latch was corroded, but is supposed to be protected from the elements! The lift gate had to be taken apart from the inside with a number of parts having to be damaged/destroyed to open it as there was no other way to release the rear door latch (no manual release). The dealer didn’t have the rear door latch in initially in stock when I needed it because they’ve never replaced one for corrosion until now. The damage occurred after I left the dealership, but before I could get the part ordered and scheduled back in the dealership. Toyota has provided $400 of “goodwill” for what turned out to be a $1,400 repair for an item that shouldn’t ever need to be replaced!
Lower ball joint on drivers side sheared off.
VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUSTING ONLY ON THE REAR HATCH SINCE 2019. IT'S RUSTING AROUND THE WIPER ASSEMBLY AND NEAR THE LATCH ASSEMBLY. WE HAD IT REPAIRED ONCE BUT IT'S WORSE NOW. I'VE NOTICED MANY OWNERS ON LINE COMPLAINING OF THIS
TOYOTA HAS DEVELOPED WHAT IS BECOMING AN INFAMOUS OIL LEAK ON THEIR 5.7 V8 ENGINES THAT IS COMING FROM THE CAMSHAFT TOWER (CAMSHAFT HOUSING SUB ASSEMBLY). APPARENTLY IN PRODUCTION THEY USE A SILICONE WHERE THIS ATTACHES TO THE HEAD AND IN MANY CASES THEY DID NOT GET ENOUGH SILICONE. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN ME THAT MANY, MANY OF THESE HAVE THIS ISSUE AND THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FAIRLY NEW THAT TOYOTA WILL STAND BEHIND IT IN LIMITED CASES. MY VEHICLE HAS 150,000 MILES ON IT SO THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO STAND BEHIND IT AND CLAIMED TO NOT BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND ALL OF THEM STATED THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS MINE HAS STARTED TO LEAK, IT DOES SO ON TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND HAS A STRONG BURNING SMELL EACH TIME I DRIVE EVEN IF ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE. THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE A FIRE. WHILE I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY OF THESE CAUSING A FIRE IT IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE TO THE POINT THAT I FOUND A LAW FIRM THAT WAS LOOKING TO DO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF IT. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES IF NEEDED BUT THEY CAN BE SEEN ALL OVER THE INTERNET.
I HAVE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE THAT TOYOTA IS NOT COVERING UNDER WARRANTY AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. I HAVE HAD 3 DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAIL AND THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY. YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH YOU CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR SAFELY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THIS IS NOT SAFE. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD AND I DON'T THINK THIS KIND OF SAFETY PART SHOULD BE THAT PRONE TO FAIL.
ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED ON ALL 4 DOORS. TWO WERE REPLACED BY TOYOTA UNDER WARRANTY. THEY MADE ME PAY TO REPLACE ONE AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE OTHER. NOW THE DRIVERS DOOR LOCK HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK WHEN USING THE FOB. THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK USING THE FOB OR ANY OTHER LOCK / UNLOCK SWITCH IN THE CAR. THIS MEANS THE CAR CANNOT BE OPENED USING THE FOB AT ALL. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD AND TOYOTA WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE THEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRING ON THE VEHICLE WAS CHEWED DUE TO RODENTS. THE SIDE AIR BAGS WERE ALSO CHEWED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING CONTAINED SOY PRODUCTS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/01/17*LJ *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN SPEED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.
AS I WAS DRIVING, THE ANTI-SLIP BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE BRAKE LIGHT. THE CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND I WAS ON A STRAIGHT CITY STREET SO THERE WAS NO REASON FOR IT TO LIGHT UP. SINCE IT WAS CONCERNING THE BRAKING SYSTEM, I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE. THE BRAKES SEEMED TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. MY OWNERS MANUAL GAVE ME STEPS TO RESET IT, NONE OF WHICH WORKED. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY FINALLY FIGURED OUT IT WAS THE ANTI-SKID BRAKE ECU. I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE DRIVEN BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE THE ANTI-SKID TECHNOLOGY IF I WERE TO EVER NEED TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES OR IF I WERE IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE IS 3 YEARS OLD AND HAD LESS THAN 60 K MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. IT'S A $3000 REPAIR. WHEN I LOOKED INTO IT, THERE ARE REPORTS ONLINE DATING BACK TO 2008 FOR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. I'M SURE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD THIS TYPE OF REPAIR AND INSTEAD CHOOSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE ADVANCED SAFETY TECHNOLOGY. I THINK THERE TOYOTA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. THANK YOU *TR
MY VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN BRAKING DOWNHILL AT AROUND 60-65 MPH. THIS STARTED AT 15000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA DEALER SAID THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. TOYOTA DEALER AND CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE SAY THEY FEEL THE BRAKE WEAR IS NORMAL AND THEY SAID THE VEHICLE REQUIRES A BRAKE JOB. THE BRAKING SHAKES THE WHOLE VEHICLE SO VIOLENTLY I AM AFRAID I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Showing 12 of 20 complaints.